The deciding factor
by Amber-Twilight
Summary: All the girls have had enough and have decided to have a final challenge to see who will be Ranma's fiance. But...martial arts ballroom dancing! Wonders will never cease... and of course, in the Ranma-verse, nothing ever goes as planned... RxA. Please R
1. Invitations

The Deciding Factor  
  
Chapter one: Invitations  
  
Akane got up and yawned heavily, stretching out on her bed. It was a Sunday, so she had all the time in the world to get ready. However, being Akane, she was not content to just lie in bed, so she jumped up and dressed in her gi for training. As she opened the door, she automatically raised her arm in a block to the right and shot a short sharp kick to the left. Her right arm had blocked a heavy slab of rock thrown by one very angry red haired girl, and her left foot had connected with the backside of a rather large panda carrying what looked like the entire contents of the refrigerator. This point was confirmed when Akane heard Kasumi's voice floating up the stairs. "Oh dear me, does anyone know what happened to the entire content's of the refrigerator? I'm sure it was here a moment ago."  
  
Ranma (couldn't you tell?!) shot a withering look at the panda and hissed to him, "Yeah, pop. Just nick all of the food, why doncha?! It just means that Nabiki will charge us double for all our food from now on or something.oh, that girl has a way with money, I swear." A cool voice sounded from the doorway nearby. " Who on earth could you be talking about, Ranma?! Ah, Mr. Saotome, I see that you've been busy clearing out the food we had in our refrigerator. As you've been doing this for the past month, for reasons I can't fathom, except to guess that perhaps, you are just greedy, I calculate that since Kasumi has to buy extra food, counting all the extra travelling expenses and just the hassle on her part, I think that that comes to." Nabiki looked up from her little calculator and stated "18,955.42 yen. I'll need that in cash by the end of the day, please. For the moment, please come down, I think there was one pack of biscuits he didn't steal. Ranma, Akane, we're gonna have to eat biscuits as breakfast today. Again."  
  
Nabiki and Akane walked calmly downstairs, and Ranma followed, stopping only to give his father a withering look. Then the three of them were gone, leaving a knocked out panda on the floor, completely overcome by: the amount of money he had to pay by the end of the day the weight of the food, which had finally got to him  
  
Ranma was at the breakfast table, back to being a guy and looking thoroughly depressed.The tiny biscuit sat on his plate unmoving and, for all his stares, did not grow any bigger or more appetising. Glancing across, he saw Akane doing the same thing, but the moment she saw him looking at her, she promptly ate the biscuit, stuck out her tongue at him and left for the dojo.  
  
"What is with that girl?! Is she still angry with me for what I did yesterday?! All I did was call her a waistless uncute macho chick.and then said that she was just as slow as a rock.Argh! She is so annoying! Actually, yesterday.could it be she's jealous?! I mean, Ukyo and Shampoo were hanging all over me yesterday.That's IT!!!"  
  
Kasumi looked up from her biscuit. "Oh, Ranma, are you going to go and apologise to Akane? She's in the dojo."  
  
Ranma was already out of the door and racing down the street. Kasumi frowned. "Hm, his sense of direction sure has got worse. He's almost like.Ryouga." Nabiki chuckled and put an arm on her sister's shoulder. " Don't stress, sis. Somehow, I don't think he's going to look for Akane."  
  
Ranma burst into the Cat café only to be instantaneously smothered by something furry and his acute sense of smell told him it was a. "CAAAAAATTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAAAAATTTT!!!!!! CCCAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!" Throwing the cat off, Ranma was still running faster than normal. "Oh man, why didn't I think that Shampoo might have had some cooking accident or somemat?! Oh well, next stop.Ucchan's!"  
  
He stopped right outside Ucchan's restaurant and dashed in. Ukyo looked up from her grill and smiled happily.  
"Ran-chan! What brings you here so early?"  
"Uc-chan, what are you doing at the grill so early?!" Ukyo smiled and expertly threw an okonomiyaki into the air and let it land back on the grill. Ranma followed it's progress through the air with his eyes and then his stomach let out a timely grumble. Ukyo looked a bit surprised and Ranma blushed a little. "Sorry, Ucchan. I guess I'm just kinda hungry. I only had a biscuit for breakfast. May I?!"  
  
Ukyo gestured to the okonomiyaki. "Sure. Go ahead. Have as many as you want. On the house."  
  
She looked up when she heard the noise at the door. " Ukyo-chan, can I.Ranma?!" Ranma turned around, his face stuffed with okonomiyaki. "Akane?! You didn't have enough at breakfast too? But you really shouldn't eat too much. You'll get FAT, waistless." He teased, grabbing more of the pizzas from the grill.  
  
The blue haired girl fumed and slowly she raised her hand, which was suddenly equipped with a sturdy mallet, type: wooden, size: small. It was only his first insult of the day, after all. No need to be too violent. Her mallet never made it to his head. Deftly, Ukyo had blocked with her spatula, knocking the mallet clean from Akane's hand.  
  
" Ranma's my fiancé, ok hon? I don't like arguing with you because you can be really sweet, but, let's just get this straight. Facts are facts."  
"You wrong, pizza girl. Ranma destining be Shampoo groom. Shampoo be good wife for Ranma, no?" The latest arrival immediately glomped onto Ranma, causing him to cough violently; several of his okonomiyaki's had just gone the wrong way.  
  
"Ahahahahahahahahahah! Akane Tendo, you fail to realise that a simple clod like yourself could never have a chance of marrying my Ranma-sama! Ahahahahahahahah! My dear Ranma needs someone of class, such as myself. I am elegant and everything, you could never hope to compete against me! I can do gymnastics, and I can swim, you hammer!" The new comer laughed heartily at herself before waving a ribbon at Akane's face. " Ranma will be mine. Ranma and Kodachi forever! It was meant to be!"  
  
Akane's face grew hot. " SO THIS IS THE WAY YOU WANT IT, HUH RANMA?! FINE! YOU GO AHEAD AND STAY HERE, BUT BEFORE I GO, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS!!!" Akane's final parting gift to Ranma was Ukyo's hot grill, which landed on his face. Scowling, she stormed out of the restaurant and paused outside when she heard someone calling.  
  
"Akane-chan, sweetie, wait a minute." Akane turned around and faced the other girls.  
  
" This isn't working." Stated Ukyo.  
  
"Shampoo be agreeing with cook girl. We need solution to problem."  
  
"And I, Kodachi Kuno have the perfect solution!"  
  
Akane examined the leaflet Kodachi had passed to her and all the other girls crowded around her to have a look.  
" Martial Arts ballroom dancing. The winners get a cash prize of 473,900 Yen and a free, all-expenses-paid trip to anywhere in the world." Akane looked up after reading the poster contents aloud. " Kodachi, you want us to enter a martial arts ballroom dancing competition."  
  
"Not a bad idea," Ukyo mused.  
  
" For once, idiot girl idea make some sense to Shampoo."  
  
Kodachi laughed. "Then it's settled. This will be the deciding factor! This is the deciding factor! Oh, how clever I am to have thought of such an idea!"  
  
Akane narrowed her eyes. "You're on!"  
~*~  
  
Ranma rushed out of the café in time to see all the girls leave to their respective rooms and then rushed off after Akane.  
  
"Hey, Akane, what's going on? Oi, you!" "It's none of your business.actually, wait. Ranma, would you like to be my partner in this?!"  
  
Ranma blanched. " Um.p-partner I-in wha.what, Akane?!" 'Please don't let it be what I think it is.please let it not be what I think it is.not some sort of food taster.I almost died from her cookies.' he begged mentally. Akane smiled at him and caught him momentarily off guard. "It's a martial arts ballroom dancing competition. Be my partner, please! Besides," she added slyly " The winners not only get a cash prize of 473,900 yen, but they also get a free trip, all-expenses-paid of course, to anywhere in the world.even China."  
  
Ranma stopped in his tracks and promptly attempted to calculate the pros and cons of this arrangement. Pro: He could go to China if he won. China meant Jusenkyo and Jusenkyo meant bye-bye curse. Con: All the other girls would kill him. Pro: He got to spend time with Akane with a valid reason and so couldn't be malleted away into space. Hmmm, con: Kuno, Ryouga and the old freak would kill him. So far, the pros and cons were tied, but.  
  
"Oh what the heck, Akane, I'll do it." He said, and smiled inwardly when he saw her surprised smile. 'Hey, Akane, why can't you be like this more often? You look so cute when you smile.' he thought sadly.  
  
'Oh Ranma, why can't you be like this more often? You're so much nicer when you're.well, nice.' Akane thought wistfully. They both walked in silence, both absorbed in their own thoughts until they reached the Tendo household.  
  
"Tadaima!"  
  
"Oh, okaeri, Akane-chan, Ranma-kun. Welcome home. You're wanted in the dojo." smiled Kasumi gently. " Here, let me take that jacket for you, Akane. Your fathers are waiting now."  
  
- - -  
  
Ok, that was my first ever attempt at writing fan-fiction, so I hope it was alright and that no-one was too OOC. Please be nice to me and review! I'll try and update regularly, but bear with me. Of course.I don't really have a plot in mind.wahhh!!! _; I am such a fool. anyway, see ya soon and remember: boost my confidence! REVIEW PLEASE!!! Oh yes, and the pairing? RxA. Definitely. 


	2. Revelations

OMG, just realised forgot disclaimer thing on the last chapter.don't sue me, please! I don't own Ranma ½. other people do. Like Rumiko Takahashi (wow, is she a genius or what?!) I'm broke after Christmas and under severe stress from my mocks. on to the next chapter.  
  
Chapter 2: Revelations  
Finally.Nerima! Akane. oh, how I have suffered to return to your side. Ryouga looked at the Tendo residence and almost burst with pride. Sure, he had been trying to go to Tokyo, but hey.  
  
He quickly burst into the house only to be hit in the face by a flying cup filled with some sort of chilled beverage.  
  
Ranma and Akane looked up from their morning squabble only to see none other than.P-Chan.  
  
"Figures," grunted Ranma whilst an enthusiastic Akane swept the pig up in her arms.  
  
"P-Chan! Where've you been?!" she cried happily. "You're wet.Ranma, who was it who just burst in through the door?"  
  
"No idea." Replied the pig-tailed martial artist with the slightest hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Do you know, P-Chan?!" he asked whilst poking the pig, who started jabbing back at him with a trotter.  
  
Akane slapped Ranma's hand away from her beloved pet and glowered at him. "Don't be such a jerk! You're always picking on P-Chan! You always pick on Ryouga as well, what's wrong with you?!"  
  
"Well, if you like Ryouga so much, go to the competition with him then!" shot Ranma.  
  
"Maybe I will!!!" screamed back Akane, who was just about to pull out her mallet when her sister wandered in.  
  
Nabiki sat down at the table and called to the kitchen. "Kasumi, can you hurry with the food please? I have a business appointment at school today."  
"Sure!" smiled Kasumi as she brought out the food. Akane shot a suspicious look at her sister.  
  
"Why do you have to go to school early today, onee-chan?" she asked slowly and deliberately. Nabiki paused in between eating her toast and gave a smile.  
"Wouldn't you like to know, little sister?" she asked and then left her place at the table. "Anyway, I really do have to go now, see you guys later. Oh, and a tip? Akane, make sure you're reasonably on time today, ok? There'll be a. show I don't want you to miss. Remember now! You too, Ranma!"  
  
When Nabiki had left the room, Akane and Ranma turned to face each other. "What was that all about?"  
  
At Furiken High.  
"How dare you, Saotome! How dare you ask my beloved Akane to the Ball?! You mangy cur! Prepare to face the Blue Thunder of Furiken High!" bellowed the kendoist as he charged at Ranma with his bokken raised for a strike. Rocks flew up from the ground as Ranma evaded the attack and glared at his opponent.  
  
"Oi, Kuno. What are you talking about?!" he shouted.  
"The martial arts competition! How could you ask my Akane to go with you?! And my pig-tailed goddess?! Where is she now?!"  
  
Oh yes. The competition. Ranma automatically launched into an attack as he glanced over at P-Chan who had, to his disgust, accompanied Akane to school. The pig was emitting a really strong battle aura.that was not good. At all.  
  
"P-Chan!" cried Akane as the pig flew from her arms and landed on Ranma's face, proceeding to scratch his face and eyes hard with piggy trotters.  
  
"Oi, Ryouga, take a chill pill! Stop it! Oi, I said stop it! Get off my face!!!" shouted Ranma loudly.  
  
"Ranma?"  
"Ryouga, you idiot, get off my face before I get really pissed!"  
"Ranma.hello?! It's me?! Ranma?"  
"Ryouga!!! Let go already!!! Just 'cos you're a pig now doesn't mean I won't let loose!!!"  
"Bwiii! Bwiii! Bwiii!!!"  
  
"RANMA NO BAKA!!! SHUT UP!"  
  
All conversation in the courtyard stopped immediately as a new battle aura was felt.  
  
"Wh. what is it, Akane. ?" Ranma asked his fiancée somewhat nervously. Nabiki perked up from her front row seat, pushed her popcorn aside and grabbed her binoculars. This was getting good. And she'd thought that the profit from the bets today was good enough. seems like Ranma was keeping a little secret from Akane.  
"Quick! Set up a new betting pool! A.S.A.P! What will Akane do to Ranma when the truth is announced! Is it P-Chan's fault?! Extra winnings to those who correctly guess the secret!" she shouted excitedly. Today's earnings would really rocket now!  
  
"Ranma." asked Akane slowly as she tried to re-assemble her thoughts into some sort of logical order. "Why are you calling P-Chan Ryouga?"  
  
"Eh." Ranma paused, acutely aware of all the faces watching him. Looking up at the school building, he saw that Nabiki was leaning so far out of the window she was in serious danger of falling out.  
  
"Um." he continued, whilst scratching the back of his head. Amazingly, P-Chan was also scratching the back of his head and laughing in a piglet-like way.  
"Hahahahahaha." laughed Ranma.  
"Bwibwibwibwibwibwibwi."  
Akane stared at the sight: Ranma and P-Chan laughing together.Ranma hated P-Chan. She didn't even know that pigs could laugh.  
  
Nabiki was taking photos now. She held her hand out for another roll of film and was promptly given it. She was in paradise. The earnings for today. well, let's just say that anything, and she meant anything, could happen to the Tendo dojo and she would still be able to pay for it's repairs and maintenance. As well as an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii for the whole family. A thought suddenly struck her and she often worked on instincts.  
"Someone get me a bucket of hot water now!" she cried imperatively. A girl scuttled off to do it; hanging around with Nabiki had its advantages. like a handsome pay and a reputation to be feared all over Nerima.  
Meanwhile, Ranma and P-Chan were still laughing away, albeit a little less loud now as they began to run out of breath. Akane wasn't buying it, and all of the students seemed to be more interested the longer they prolonged this explanation.  
"Well, Akane, it's a funny story, you see." laughed Ranma. Akane tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "Get a grip, Akane," she muttered to herself. " Don't beat him up, you want answers."  
  
Her mood had not been improved by the fact that last night Soun and Genma had announced a new date for their wedding and this morning on the way to school she'd already torn down ten posters proclaiming the fact. It figured. Nabiki was, of course, nowhere to be found: she knew her sister better than all that and knew that she should stay out of her way for a while. She liked her head where it was, thank you very much. Luckily, it seemed that Kuno had not seen the posters or all hell would have broken out already. Glancing over at Kuno, she had to say she was glad he was still unconscious from Ranma's attack.  
  
"Akane-chan." everyone looked over at the newcomer. It was Nabiki, swinging a bucket with her. "How's the interrogation going?"  
"Ranma's being the biggest idiot in the world and laughing his socks off at some non-existent joke." she muttered sourly.  
Nabiki pretended to look sad.  
"That's too bad, but I have a theory I want to test. You only pay if I'm correct, 'kay?"  
Akane nodded her head slightly and Nabiki smiled and leaned over closer to her sister, whispering a few choice words and instructions into her ear. Akane listened and then walked over to Ranma grimly.  
  
"Oi.Akane.Whatta ya doing?! Akane?! Stop already!" the panic was clear in his voice and the pig squealing next to him was also in shock.  
  
Raising the bucket of hot water above her head, Akane threw the contents at the pair as hard as she could, and though Ranma quickly tried to shield P-Chan, the spray of water was much too wide and so suddenly, Ranma found the weight on his shoulder considerably heavier and, praying that Ryouga had miraculously got cured but knew that he hadn't, he raised his eyes.  
  
Akane dropped her bucket and was standing still in complete and utter shock. Nabiki walked forward, placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and whistled before holding her hand out for the cash, which Akane handed over. There was a deafening silence in the courtyard and Ranma knew that Ryouga must have been wishing he could just disappear. Then, suddenly, people started falling over in faints. Nabiki ran a critical eye over the unconscious students and started drawing up a tally of who had fainted and taking photos as evidence. Yep. She never felt so alive as when she had such a great business scheme running and people to blackmail.  
  
Akane was still looking down at the ground, at the sky, in fact, anyway except for the naked man sitting on Ranma's shoulder.  
"Well, Ranma, you told me that you had a funny story to tell. Go on." She said.  
Ranma was worried. He wasn't able to read her mood, and then realised that Ryouga was still on his shoulder. Quickly dumping him on the ground, Ranma backed away from Akane.  
"Well, it's also a long story. Oh look, there goes the bell! Don't want to be late now, do we? I'll just be going then. " he garbled and then legged it for all he was worth. The Saotome secret technique was really worth learning after all.  
"Um, Akane-Chan?" asked Ryouga, highly embarrassed and thinking about what he would do to Ranma for publicly exposing his identity. All sorts of death threats came to mind and he pictured what Ranma would look like hung off Tokyo Tower, and then suddenly, Akane looked up and he wished he'd run like Ranma had.  
"RYOUGA!!! You. you. HENTAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed at the top of her voice and proceeded to throw anything she could find at him before running off in tears screaming "I can't believe I was even THINKING of asking you to the competition this morning!!! I never want to see your face EVER AGAIN! You hear me?! I HATE YOU!!!"  
Ryouga felt like his world had collapsed and was just about to attack the school building and surrounding area in general when he noticed Nabiki standing next to him.  
"What do you want?" he snarled.  
"Oh, nothing." She said airily. "Just thought you might want some clothes, that's all."  
Ryouga flushed a deep beet red and then nodded resentfully. "I suppose. " he muttered.  
"Oh goodie!" smiled Nabiki. "That'll be 20,000 yen please!"  
  
Ok, how was it?! Good? Bad? Crap? Please review so I can improve! Just realised that I took a total detour on this chapter. but I thought that it was quite important that Akane found out about Ryouga. Also features Nabiki a lot, but hey, I think she's cool! I should be back to the main theme in just a moment.ie. the next chapter, so please read on! Thank you every body and special thanks to my reviewers! And yes, when I said RxA, I meant Ranma, not Ryouga. 


	3. Undeniable Chaos

Here we go! The next Chapter! I haven't written for ages for a couple of reasons: I had mocks, and I wasn't sure if anyone was still reading, but I thought I might try to finish this anyway in case someone was. Again: I don't own this series because I am not a genius. Get it?! Good good. Anyway... I hope that this is ok. Review at the end please!  
  
Chapter Three: Undeniable Chaos  
Punch. Whack. Kick. Punch. Whack. Kick. Akane slid effortlessly into the routine and the dummy was barely keeping up, snapping soon under her vicious treatment.  
Akane set up another dummy and concentrated all her raw power and anger into each blow, mechanically releasing all her stress into the straw dummy. Her cheeks burned with anger as she remembered the events of that day...  
  
"Oh my. Ryouga is P-Chan?" exclaimed Kasumi. "Yup" chortled Nabiki. "No-one betted on that option, so hey, I'm rolling in dough!"  
The door swung open and Ranma sneaked in. "Taidama... " he whispered. "Akane's not here, is she?" "No, she's in the dojo." replied Kasumi whilst washing the dishes. Ranma let out a sigh of relief.  
"Ok, then. I'm just gonna pop out and find Ryouga someplace to stay, it's kinda obvious he can't stay here now, isn't it?"  
Quickly he ran out of the house and went directly to the park where he had told Ryouga to wait for him. Ryouga was still there and still very much in shock. However, when he set his eyes on Ranma, he seemed ready to punch his lights out... until he realised that Akane hated him anyway and he didn't feel like doing anything...  
"Yo, Ryouga, c'mon, let's go!" smiled Ranma in an effort to cheer Ryouga up. An effort which failed miserably. Growling, Ranma picked the directionally challenged boy up and started walking around. At least this way he can't get lost...he reasoned. His stomach growled and he realised he was hungry again. It was then when a little light went on in his head. Ryouga might be able to stay at Uc-chan's!  
  
"Hey, Uc-chan!" cried Ranma. Ukyo, who had been looking at the window ever since school had finished to prepare if Ranma was coming, had pretended to be busy when she saw him on the horizon.  
"Ranma! What a surprise!" she gushed. "I just happened to have your favourite type of Okonomiyaki on the grill! Would you like some?"  
Ranma didn't hesitate and began stuffing himself whilst describing the situation to Ukyo.  
"So...I was wondering if Ryouga could bunk here for a couple of nights..." he finished.  
Ukyo frowned. Extra help was always welcome, but Ryouga was really troublesome with his appalling sense of direction. She would have to signpost the whole restaurant, and even then he might get lost. Still, she wanted to appear kind and sympathetic to Ryouga after Akane had treated him so poorly... although Ryouga had been a little out of line.  
"Ok then. Just for you, Ran-Chan." She said with a smile. "Thanks Ukyo, you're the best!" smiled Ranma.  
"So Ranma, will you do me a favour as well?"  
"Sure thing Ukyo." "Will you come dancing with me? On the 27th of this month." Ranma, who wasn't really thinking straight, yawned. " Sure, whatever. I'd better be going, Uc-chan. It's getting kinda late."  
As she watched Ranma walk through the door, Ukyo could barely contain her delight. Ranma had agreed to be her partner in the martial arts ballroom dancing competition! She would win this time for sure!  
  
As Ranma entered the door of the Tendo home, he thought he'd better see if Akane was feeling better.  
As it happened, Akane was feeling much better. She had worked out most of her frustrations into the... slightly charred... slightly blackened meal on the table. All of the Tendo household were looking at each other: their previous experiences had made them wary to taste the food.  
Nabiki tried to save them all. "Hey thanks a lot, Akane! I propose that the chef try the first dish!" Akane looked surprised. "Me? Why me?" Nonetheless, urged by all her family, she gladly tasted the first dish. "Ok then, chicken stew with a hint of white wine! And some special herbs!" she announced proudly as she raised the spoon to her lips. Everyone crowded around the girl to see how she would find her own cooking: Akane's eyes grew wide and she ran out of the room quickly with her hands covering her mouth.  
Soun and Genma took this opportunity to throw out the rest of the food and to pull out some instant ramen.  
"Ranma-kun, ramen?" offered Kasumi.  
  
Akane never returned to the dining room, and to be perfectly honest, Ranma wasn't that surprised. The girl had no immunity to that sort of poison. Sighing, he supposed he'd better go get her a ramen or something. Just leave it on her table in her room. No need for her to know it was him.  
Getting up from his seat, he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pot of ramen and quickly warmed it up. Carefully he blew on it a bit and as he turned to go upstairs, he had the horrible feeling he was being watched. Pleading it wasn't what he thought it was, he looked around. Crowded around the door were Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki and a big panda.  
"Oh my, Ranma! I was going to prepare dinner for Akane, but you've already done it! Thank you!" smiled Kasumi.  
"Way to go!" smiled Nabiki. The panda and Soun were both clutching hands and bawling their eyes out.  
"Finally Saotome! We can have a joint school! Take good care of Akane, Ranma-Kun!" cried Soun. The panda merely held up a sign saying: I'm proud of you boy.  
  
"Cut... cut it out you guys!" shouted Ranma. "Who said I was gonna give it to that uncute tomboy? I was gonna eat it myself!"  
"Go on then."  
Ranma was seriously wishing that Nabiki wasn't a girl. Sometimes, having strict warrior ethics was a very bad thing.  
"Not here!" he scowled and stomped off, ramen in one hand and chopsticks in the other.  
  
Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair. Akane was still feeling sick from her chicken, although she had enjoyed the ramen that had mysteriously appeared on her bedroom table.  
"So, Ranma, you going with Akane to the Ballroom dancing competition, no?" asked Kasumi.  
Ranma looked at Akane and then nodded. "That's if you still want to go." He said to Akane, who nodded.  
"So, Ranma, know how to dance?" asked Nabiki, grinning. Akane and Ranma stared at each other, only just realising that they had forgotten about everything except securing each other as partners.  
"I'll help you... for a fee of course." Smiled Nabiki even wider. The two teens sighed and pulled out their wallets.  
Just then the phone rang and Kasumi went to answer. She talked for a few moments and then re-entered the hall.  
"Oh my." Was all she could say.  
"What is it, onee-chan?" asked Akane curiously.  
"Dr.Tofu just asked me to the competition!" she smiled. "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!" shouted Ranma and Akane simultaneously.  
"And I accepted!" continued Kasumi, still smiling away. "This is bad..." whispered Akane to Ranma under her breath. "Why? What's so bad about it? I think it's kinda sweet." He whispered back.  
"Dr.Tofu is a good martial artist and Kasumi's won every dancing competition she ever entered!" whispered Akane. Ranma paled.  
"Oh my..." continued Kasumi as the two ran out of the house, with Nabiki hot on their heels.  
"What're we gonna do?!" bellowed Ranma. "We've gotta win this thing!"  
  
"Ranma! Nihao!" "Quick, Akane, run!!!" Ranma grabbed Akane's hand and they started sprinting. Sadly, the purple haired cyclist was faster and performed a leap from her bike and managed to glomp onto Ranma.  
"Airen go to competition with Shampoo, no? No go with violent girl!" she smiled and waited expectedly for an affirmative answer.  
"Shampoo, I am not going with you! I am going with Akane!!!" shouted Ranma desperately as he saw Akane prepare to initiate her mallet attack. The mallet stopped, but was still at the ready.  
"But Ran-Chan, you promised you'd go with me!" cried Ukyo, landing next to Shampoo.  
Ranma immediately denied this and the mallet inched closer to his head. "Yes you did! You said you'd go dancing with me on the 27th!" cried Ukyo again. Ranma gulped, all the girls around him were furious and they showed it.  
"Wait, the 27th is the day of the competition?!" he asked nervously. "Of course!" they all yelled.  
Ah. Oops. How to best get out of this one... "Saotome, how dare you try to force my beloved Shampoo into going to the ball with you?!" shouted an outraged Mousse.  
"Ranma-sama! I will save you from these foolish simpletons and we shall go to the ball together! Ahahahahahahaha!" laughed Kodachi.  
"Saotome Ranma! Why must you take both Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl away from me?!" cried Kuno. "Prepare to die!"  
In short, utter pandemonium ensued. Nabiki watched the fray and thought she'd take the short way out.  
"Hey Kuno-baby!" she called and dragged the kendoist out of the fight. "Why do you call me away from my fight with the one who..." "Yeah, I know. Wanna see your pig-tailed goddess? 20,000 yen please." Money exchanged hands and Nabiki produced a bucket of cold water. "Oh look! What is that?" shrieked Nabiki pointing in the other direction. When Kuno wasn't looking, she threw the water at the group. When Kuno looked back, he was ecstatic.  
"Oh crap, I'm a girl again, and next to me are a duck and a... a CAT!!!!!" "Pig-tailed girl, please do me the honour of going to the ball with me!"  
"CATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Ok, I shall end this chapter here. I hope that it was all right and all comments are accepted, although preferably nice ones! REVIEW please!!! 


	4. To dance or not to dance?

Yay! This is chapter four! To be honest, I wasn't sure if I'd get this far, but apparently I have... I hope that I am not boring you stiff and that this is actually alright. sighs This is only my first fan-fiction after all...  
  
Standard Disclaimer- I own no part of Ranma ½ except for this plot: all characters were created by Rumiko Takahashi herself. That is all.  
  
Chapter Four:  
  
Ranma sat in the garden by the koi pond thinking. Strange, but true. His day had been somewhat nightmarish, with Kuno of all people asking him to the ball. His terrible day was matched only by Akane's, who was asked to the ball by Happosai. Of course, Happosai was not only flat out rejected, but also kicked far, far away from the Tendo house.  
"Hey." Ranma looked up at the blue haired girl. "What're you doing out here?" he asked curiously. "Well, Kasumi told me it's nearly time for dinner, but besides that, we have to figure out when we can start practising for the ball." Akane smiled and Ranma felt his heart skip a beat just like normal. Tracing his finger in little circles on the ground, Ranma tried to re-organise his thoughts and remove the whole "Ukyo" question from his mind.  
"Did Nabiki say how she was going to help us?" he asked. Akane turned a shade of black.  
"After we handed over our money, she told me that the best way to do it would be to buy a How-To-Dance video. Helpful, isn't she?"  
"Well, for a little extra, I might just teach you myself." Came a cool voice from behind and the two teens jumped.  
"Nabiki!"  
"The one and only," she smirked. "look, sis, for a small fee I will help you out myself."  
"Can you dance?" challenged Ranma. "Yes." Replied Nabiki with an eyebrow arched high "But if you don't believe me, I don't have to help you..."  
"Who taught you?!" demanded the pig-tailed martial artist suspiciously. The look on Nabiki's face changed and looked almost... sorrowful.  
"Our mother," she replied, smiling sadly. "She taught us all, but Akane was too young at the time, so only Kasumi and I were taught more than the basics and after mother... died, Kasumi and I started to go to a club to improve our dancing skills. Mother was a wonderful dancer... Anyway. There you go. I can dance. Take lessons with me, don't, it's your own decision." With that, the middle sister walked off back towards the house when a voice called out behind her.  
"Wait... Nabiki. We'll take the lessons." Akane called to Nabiki's back. The middle Tendo sister allowed a small smile of victory to grace her face before spinning around to face the pair of them, clapping her hands together.  
"Ok then. Akane, Ranma, you're going to have to follow me." She smiled before sweeping out into the busy Nerima streets. Akane and Ranma looked at each other, shrugged and quickly followed. Nabiki took them through the town centre and stopped outside a small shop. She then pulled out a little blue notebook from her pocket and checked something in it before smiling merrily and pushing the door open, stepping into the little room.  
"Hello? I'm here about the advertisement?" she called out, running a critical eye over everything. Akane looked around the shop in complete bewilderment. There was barely enough space in here to paint a vase let alone dance. The shop also didn't sell any sort of dancing goods... what exactly was going on? Her suspicions were proved correct in mere minutes. A middle aged woman burst in from a back room, hair flying around and a large stack of papers in her arms.  
"Yes? Helpers?" she asked briskly. Nabiki laughed cheerfully.  
"Two of them. Strong as mules. I hear your wages are very good, as are the hours, Makoto-san."  
"And I hear you are very good at making money. Tendo-san, I believe?" the woman stated disdainfully. "It wouldn't be you who threatened to put me out of business three years ago would it?"  
"Let bygones be bygones." Nabiki drawled. "The helpers are here. Ranma, Akane, enjoy."  
"Whoa, wait just a minute Nabiki! What the hell is going on?!" Ranma shouted as he placed himself in between the brunette and the door. Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  
"You work here now. The wages will cover your lessons." She stated in a matter of fact tone. "Now excuse me. I have an appointment to keep. Ciao!" she waved as she pushed past Ranma, leaving two teenagers looking at the door with shock written all over their faces. The shop keeper shoved large boxes in their arms and propelled them towards the door.  
"These boxes have to be with the Kunos within the hour. Move it!" she barked. Could their day possibly get any worse? Apparently it could.  
  
"C'mon! Move! Again! Jeez, for martial artists you both have two left feet!!! Again!!!" Nabiki shouted as she whacked the remote control against Ranma's knees for emphasis. "Ranma, you go forwards first, step with the left, then the right and then bring the left foot to the right! It's not that hard!!!" Ranma scowled as he re-assumed the correct position, gingerly clasping onto Akane's hands as he put weight on his injured knee wincing as he did so. Maybe Nabiki should have taken up martial arts. She had a mean thump... Sighing, he counted the beats mentally and moved on three. One, two, three, one, two, thump!  
"Ouch! Ranma, that was my foot!" cried the blue haired girl in frustration. "Ow... Nabiki, I need a break."  
"Do as you please. I charge by the minute." Nabiki smirked as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot with the song. "Let me show you how it's done." The waltz playing at the moment was her favourite and she couldn't resist the beat any more. On three she stepped back on her left foot, then her right, dancing with an invisible stranger and twirling around, losing herself in the song completely, unaware of the two pairs of astounded eyes watching her. As the song drew to a close, the dancer cracked open an eye and was slightly disturbed by the look she was receiving. "What?!" she protested.  
"That was great!" her spectators gushed. Nabiki had the decency to blush, if only for the briefest of moments.  
"From now on, these dance steps are your katas, your forms. Get them right and you're set to go! Practise everyday. Lesson concluded. The steps have been written on that piece of paper over there by the steps. Have fun!" Ranma and Akane were left in the empty dojo staring at the piece of paper covered in writing.  
"Don't tell me that was it. Don't tell me that we just spent 20,000 yen and that was IT!!!" Akane shouted, reaching for her mallet before suddenly deflating and grabbing the piece of paper, studying it intently. Then, with a barely audible sigh she walked over to the CD player and pressed rewind, dragging Ranma to his feet as she did so. "Alright then, let's start again from the top." The sound of the music could be heard floating out of the Tendo dojo and filling the Nerima streets with what seemed to be... peace.  
  
Ah that was so hard to write! I think I'm losing my touch with this story. I'd got the whole plot worked out and then exams came along and made me forget it all!!! I've got to start form scratch now, sigh. Remember, I don't own any of this. Not, Ranma, not Akane, not Shampoo, not Nabiki, not Ukyo, not anyone. Except maybe the lousy character Makoto-san. Perhaps she'll feature more later on, perhaps not. We'll see. 


End file.
